Victoria Cross and George Cross Association

Victoria Cross and George Cross Association
Name	Victoria Cross and George Cross Association
Founded	1921
Type	Ex-service association
Headquarters	United Kingdom
Location	London
Leader title	President
Leader name	(varies)
Region served	United Kingdom and Commonwealth
Website	(official)

Victoria Cross and George Cross Association The Victoria Cross and George Cross Association is a British association formed to bring together holders of the Victoria Cross and the George Cross. It fosters camaraderie among recipients of the Victoria Cross, the George Cross, and analogous decorations awarded for valour in the face of the enemy and for gallantry not in the presence of the enemy. The body maintains links with institutions such as the Imperial War Museum, the Royal British Legion, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, and leading military museums.

History

The association traces roots to the aftermath of the First World War when holders of the Victoria Cross sought mutual support after battles like the Battle of the Somme and Gallipoli Campaign. Early gatherings included survivors from engagements such as the Battle of Jutland, recipients from the Second Boer War, and later veterans of the Second World War including actions in the Battle of Britain and the Normandy landings. The creation formalised veteran camaraderie alongside institutions like the Chelsea Pensioner tradition and commemorative efforts linked to the Menin Gate Memorial. The association has evolved through the interwar period, Cold War-era conflicts including the Malayan Emergency and Korean War, and recent operations such as Falklands War and the Iraq War.

Membership

Membership comprises individuals awarded the Victoria Cross or the George Cross; honorary associates have included senior figures from the Ministry of Defence, curators from the National Army Museum, and scholars from universities such as King's College London and University of Oxford specialising in military history. Notable related members have been recipients who served in formations like the Royal Navy, the British Army, the Royal Air Force, and Commonwealth forces from Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and India. Membership protocols reflect precedents set by other orders and clubs associated with decorations such as the Order of the Garter and the Order of the British Empire.

Activities and Events

The association organises annual reunions, investiture celebrations, and wreath-laying ceremonies at memorials including The Cenotaph, the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior, and the National Memorial Arboretum. It participates in state occasions with entities such as Buckingham Palace during investitures and coordinates with veteran charities like SSAFA and the Poppy Appeal. Educational outreach includes lectures at the Imperial War Museum, exhibitions featuring collections from the Royal Armouries, and collaboration on documentary projects with broadcasters such as the BBC and ITV. The association also supports regimental memorial services for units involved in engagements like the Battle of El Alamein and the Siege of Tobruk.

Governance and Structure

Governance mirrors structures found in service organisations including a president, committee, and trustees who liaise with bodies such as the Veterans UK and the Charity Commission for England and Wales. The president has included figures with distinguished service records and public profiles akin to holders of the Order of Merit; committee members often have affiliations with military charities and museums like the Imperial War Museum and the National Army Museum. Administrative operations have been headquartered in London with meetings at venues such as the Royal Hospital Chelsea and the House of Lords for commemorative and ceremonial functions. The association's statutes reflect practice surrounding awards like the George Medal and procedural norms from the London Gazette.

Notable Members and Recipients

Notable figures associated with the association have included renowned VC holders from conflicts spanning from the Crimean War lineage through the Second World War and into modern theatres. Prominent examples include recipients who fought at the Somme, the Dunkirk evacuation, and the Burma Campaign; famous individual holders have been celebrated in biographies, service histories, and museum displays. Commonwealth recipients from Australia such as those honoured in the Australian War Memorial, Canadian heroes commemorated at the Canadian War Museum, and New Zealand heroes featured at Te Papa Tongarewa have attended events. Recipients often feature in oral history collections at institutions like the Imperial War Museum and in scholarly works published by presses such as Oxford University Press.

Awards and Commemorations

The association organises commemorative medals bars displays, maintains memorial plaques, and supports plaques and statues in locations such as Whitehall and regional civic centres. It endorses exhibitions at the Imperial War Museum and contributes to permanent displays at the National Army Museum and private collections including those of the Royal Armouries. The association also liaises with postal authorities on commemorative stamps, works with the Commonwealth War Graves Commission on grave preservation, and coordinates anniversary events for engagements such as the D-Day landings and VE Day. Annual observances maintain ties with state and civic rituals performed at St Paul's Cathedral, Westminster Abbey, and municipal cenotaphs across the United Kingdom and Commonwealth.

Category:Veterans' organisations in the United Kingdom Category:Orders, decorations, and medals of the United Kingdom